Jesus returns to Nazareth.
Mark 6:1-3 (NIV) says, "Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples. When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. 'Where did this man get these things?' they asked. 'What’s this wisdom that has been given him, that he even does miracles! Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?' And they took offense at him."
This isn’t the first time in the gospel of Mark that people had serious questions about Jesus. In Mark 1:27 (NIV)as Jesus taught in a synagogue in Capernaum, the people asked," 'Who is this? A new teaching— and with authority! He even gives orders to evil spirits and they obey him.' "
In Mark 2:7 (NIV) when Jesus forgives the sins of a paralyzed man, the teachers of the law demand an explanation, "Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?"
In Mark 2:16 the same folks wanted to know why Jesus associated with tax collectors and sinners. In Mark 2:18 they wanted to know why Jesus' disciples didn’t fast properly. In Mark 2:24 theyquestionedwhy Jesus' disciples violated Sabbath laws by picking and eating grain. In Mark 3:5 they plotted to kill Jesus after he healed on the Sabbath.
You will remember that Jesus’ family questioned his sanity in Mark 3:21. In Mark 3:22 Jesusis accused of being possessed by Beelzebub! In Mark 4:41 (NIV) Jesus' own disciples are terrified after he calmed the storm and they ask, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!"
And now we are in Jesus' hometown of Nazareth, with people who’ve known Jesus from childhood. They have serious doubts about his divinity.
They question Jesus' authority.
Their first question is about Jesus' authority. In Mark 6:2 (NIV) they comment, "Where did this man (Jesus) get these things?"
Notice that their question isn’t about the content of Jesus' teaching. Their question is about the authority of Jesus' teachings and the origin of his teachings. Did Jesus make these things up? Did he just dream them up? Their question is, "Jesus, why should we listen to you? Why should we believe you? Why should we obey what you are telling us?"
This was the issue back in Mark 1:22 (NIV) as Jesus taught in a synagogue in Capernaum. The people were amazed because Jesus taught them,"...as one who had authority."Jesus was plainspoken, and uncompromising, and frank about the truth. He didn’t say that there were "many" truths to contemplate, or "many" religious paths to God, or "many" perspectives on morality. Jesus wasn’t Oprah or Dr. Phil.
See, everyone loves someone who doesn’t stand for anything. But no, Jesus was an authority. He was the King of kings and the Lord of lords. He spoke from the authority of his divine nature. He was the Son of the living God, and his authority bothered folks!
Our biggest challenge has never been teaching the content of the Bible. Our biggest challenge is teaching people to obey.The challenge is toestablish the authority of God over every aspect of our lives. By nature, we rebel against authority. We question authority! We're like children smarting off at our parents, "Who are you to tell me what to do?"
We need to be honest about one thing. What if you had no doubt that a teaching came from God?Would you obey it? The people in Jesus' hometown didn't care where the teaching came from because they had no intention of obeying.
The people of Nazareth question Jesus' power.
Their second question is about Jesus' power. In Mark 6:2 (NIV) they ask,"What’s this wisdom that has been given him, that he even does miracles!"
This is a bizarre question. On the one hand, they are acknowledging Jesus' power to perform miracles. The evidence of Jesus' power was right under their noses. He was driving out evil spirits. He healed Peter's mother-in-law of fever, and he healed people with various diseases. He cured a man with leprosy, he caused a paralyzed man to walk, and he regenerated the limb of a man with a shriveled-up arm.Jesus calmed the storm, cured a woman who had been bleeding for twelveyears, and he raised Jairus' daughter back to life.
But all the evidence in the world couldn't persuade them of Jesus' identity. Their hearts were hardened andtheir eyes were blinded. Isn’t it amazing how two people can look at the same events and reach two completely different conclusions? One believes, but the other disbelieves. The heart believes what the heart wants to believe, and no pile of evidence, no matter how large, will persuade it otherwise.
We’ll see this later in Mark 8:12 (NIV). The Pharisees come to Jesus asking him for a sign from heaven, but, "He sighed deeply and said, "Why does this generation ask for a miraculous sign? I tell you the truth, no sign will be given to it."
A sign from heaven wasn't going to change the condition of their hearts. Knowing that Jesus' teaching came from God wasn't going to change their hearts either. They knew it, and Jesus knew it.
They question Jesus' past.
Their third question is about his past. In Mark 6:3 (NIV) the people of Nazareth ask, "Isn't this the carpenter? Isn't this Mary's son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren't his sisters here with us?"
They are reminding Jesus that he is just a common, ordinary fellow who has made his living like all the rest of them. "Who does he think he is, pretending to represent God, pretending to be some great rabbi or miracle worker? You're just a carpenter Jesus, a lowly carpenter."
But they go further. Their question,"Isn't this Mary's son..." was sarcastic and derogatory. They were reminding Jesus that he was an illegitimate child. They knew the rumors about Jesus. They knew the whole bit about the virgin birth, about Jesus being conceived of the Holy Spirit,not of an earthly father.
Mark 6:3 (NIV) says,"Andthey took offense at him (Jesus)."The Greek word here is "skandalizomai" from which we get our English wordscandalized. They thought that Jesus was perpetuating a fraud or that he was some kind of con artist pulling off a hoax. "He’s no authority. He’s no miracle worker. He’s just a carpenter, an illegitimate child."
Just as Jesus had to experience rejection, so did his disciples.
So what is the lesson here? Later in Mark 6 Jesus will send out his twelve disciples. He gives them authority over evil spirits in Mark 6:7. He instructs them to preach that people should repent in Mark 6:12. But before embracing the mission of God, they needed to taste rejection.
In Mark 6:4 (NIV) it says,"Jesus said to them, 'Only in his hometown, among his relatives and in his own house is a prophet without honor.' "
People will show contempt for us.
People will show contempt for us because we represent the authority of God himself. Wherever we teach, be prepared thatpeople will scoff at us."Who do you think you are to tell me to change, to repent, and to kneel before the throne of God?"
People will also show contempt for us because of what we are becoming, because of the Spirit and power of God which is evidenced in our lives. Though they cannot deny it, they will mock our love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness, and self-control.
And people will show contempt for us because they know our past. Because they know what we were, what our family was like, what our reputation was, and that we did this or that when we were younger.
They will think it scandalous that we talk about grace, forgiveness, repentance, and redemption. They will think it scandalous that we claim to know the one true God and that we claim that no one can come to the Father except through the Son. They will find itscandalous that we live holy lives in an unholy world and that we're not governed by our desires or by a depraved mind, but by Christ himself.
But if they showed contempt for Jesus, we should be prepared for them to show us that same contempt. We need to be prepared for the tragedy of Mark 6:5-6 (NIV) which says,"He (Jesus) could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. And he was amazed at their lack of faith."